Written Answers Monday 19 March 2007

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the impact of the developing market in Single Farm Payment entitlements on the ability of new entrants to farming to access such entitlements.

Ross Finnie: Entitlement trading is required by EC regulations; it facilitates the development of farm businesses, for example, following mergers, splits or inheritance of farms. The Executive recognises that access to entitlements would help new entrants by providing a stream of income through Single Farm Payments. There are, however, other significant barriers to entry, including the price and availability of land, and access to working capital. New entrants who entered farming immediately after the reference period (2000-02) were eligible to apply to the National Reserve for entitlements. When it is approved, the Scottish Rural Development Plan will contain a series of measures that will be attractive to new entrants.

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce voluntary modulation of single farm payments and, if so, at what level if voluntary modulation is adopted by the Agriculture/Fisheries Council on 19 March 2007 and includes the adoption of the Article 3 proposal for a council regulation laying down rules for voluntary modulation of direct payments which allow member states to apply differentiated rates of modulation, so long as they are already using existing voluntary modulation and are applying single farm payments at a regional level.

Ross Finnie: Voluntary modulation will be used in Scotland in order to deliver a credible Scotland Rural Development Programme that supports our priority outcomes for rural Scotland. I cannot confirm the rate until the European voluntary modulation regulation has been finalised. If the final version of the regulation permits, I confirm that Scotland will set its own rate of voluntary modulation.

Culture

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when the strategy for the Scots language promised in Scotland’s Culture: Scottish Executive Response on the Cultural Review will be published.

Patricia Ferguson: In the Partnership Agreement of 2003, and as also referred to in the above policy document, Scottish ministers gave the commitment to publish a national languages strategy which will celebrate and promote the rich diversity of languages currently spoken in Scotland, including Scots.

  A draft version of A Strategy for Scotland’s Languages is currently available for public consultation. The consultation period is due to end on 19 March 2007, after which we will publish a final version of the strategy that takes account of the responses received.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken in, or for, the criminal justice system to link with either the present or future Schengen Information System in relation to (a) European arrest warrants or (b) other functions.

Cathy Jamieson: The programme to deliver the Schengen Information System for the UK is being managed by the Home Office in partnership with key stakeholders, including the Scottish Police Service. The Executive is keeping in close touch with developments.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget has been allocated for any work being undertaken in, or for, the criminal justice system to link with either the present or future Schengen Information System and when that work will be complete.

Cathy Jamieson: The budget for the development programme for the Schengen Information System is provided and managed by the Home Office on behalf of the UK. This programme is currently scheduled to be delivered in 2010.

NHS Expenditure

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board has spent on wheelchair provision in each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Hospitals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute beds there have been in each year since 1997, broken down by hospital.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on average available acute staffed beds is given in Average available acute staffed beds by hospital; Financial years ending 31 March 1998 - 2006 a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42281).

  The Executive does not set target numbers for beds. These are local planning decisions taken by NHS boards who have the information necessary to make the correct judgements.

  There are good reasons for reductions in acute bed numbers:

  
Medical advances continue to reduce lengths of stay associated with many planned procedures, and some are now routinely carried out in a few hours without the need for any overnight stay.
Numbers of acute in-patient beds do not include beds in dedicated day surgery units. Around 65% of elective admissions are day cases where there is no need for an overnight bed.
There are more beds targeted where they are needed. For example, the number of intensive therapy unit beds has increased by over 11% since 1999. These are by far the most expensive beds to staff and equip.
NHSScotland is making better use of available beds in acute specialties. Average bed occupancy has risen from 78% in the year ending March 1998 to 82.2% in the year ending March 2006.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage increase in nurses pay has been in each year since 1997.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  

Year
 Percentage Increase as at 1 April Each Year


 1997
 3.3% (2.8% from 1 April then a further 0.5% on 1 December)


 1998
 3.8% (2% from 1 April then a further 1.8% on 1 December)


 1999
 4.7% plus an increase of one point to the maximum of the D grade scale and the deletion of the bottom 2 points equalling an increase of 12% to the bottom of the D grade scale, to aid recruitment and retention.


 2000
 3.4% plus an increase for C grade nurses equalling 7% and to E grade scale equalling 7.8%, 
to aid recruitment and retention.


 2001
 3.7%, plus average 2% for F-I grades by consolidation of discretionary points.


 2002
 3.6%


 2003
 3.225%


 2004
 3.225%


 2005
 3.225%


 2006
 2.5%


 2007
 2.5%



  Including the pay rise for 2007, this represents a cumulative rise since 1997 of over 37% for all nursing staff and significantly more for those staff groups identified above as receiving additional uplifts. It should also be noted that many nurses will have gained financially as a result of having been assimilated onto the new Agenda for Change pay, terms and conditions package.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses it expects to receive a pay increase of 1.9% in the next 12 months.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scottish ministers have accepted the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies.

  What this means for all nursing staff in NHSScotland, with the exception of those who require pay protection under Agenda for Change, is that their pay will increase by 2.5% with effect from 1 April 2007.

Residential Care

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times were for care assessments by each local authority in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not available centrally.

Young Offenders

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young offenders in custody committed (a) acts of self-harm and (b) suicide in each year since 2001.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  (a) Information on acts of self-harm is not available.

  (b)

  

 
Number of Suicides


2001-02
3


2002-03
1


2003-04
0


2004-05
1


2005-06
1